Ford Explorer vs Subaru Forester: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (October 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $38,205 against $31,480 for the Subaru Forester (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Subaru Forester takes fuel economy (23 MPG combined vs 20 MPG); the Ford Explorer leads on NCAP safety (4.9★ vs 4.8★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $30,599 vs the BASE PLUS at $28,083; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.

Verdict: for most used-car buyers the Subaru Forester is the stronger pick right now — it wins 3 of the scored dimensions below (prices judged on the same model years, 2024–2026). Choose the Ford Explorer if you care most about higher NCAP safety scores.

Head to head

Typical used price (2024–2026)Subaru Forester
Ford Explorer$38,205
Subaru Forester$31,480
EPA combined (typical version)Subaru Forester
Ford Explorer20 MPG
Subaru Forester23 MPG
NCAP overall (avg of rated years)Ford Explorer
Ford Explorer4.9★
Subaru Forester4.8★
NHTSA recalls / model yearSubaru Forester
Ford Explorer10.7
Subaru Forester4.6
For sale on VehiSales now
Ford Explorer40,720
Subaru Forester20,300

Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)

A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford Explorer XLT ($30,599) faces the Subaru Forester BASE PLUS ($28,083); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (33.5% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM (27.3% of Subaru Forester listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,000) faces the TOURING ($35,657). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.

Ford Explorer Subaru Forester
TrimTypical priceShare TrimTypical priceShare
XLTMost popularCheapest $30,599 33.5% BASE PLUSCheapest $28,083 4.5%
LIMITED $32,168 5.9% PREMIUM BASE $29,989 9.6%
TIMBERLINE $34,741 2.6% PREMIUMMost popular $30,501 27.3%
ST-LINE $38,001 17.6% LIMITED BASE $31,329 2.1%
ACTIVE $38,495 17.5% SPORT $32,176 11.5%
PLATINUM $44,991 6.3% LIMITED $33,285 15.2%
STPriciest $46,000 12.6% WILDERNESS $33,485 11.5%
TREMOR $54,865 2.7% TOURINGPriciest $35,657 11.6%

Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford Explorer prices · Subaru Forester prices.

Used price by model year

YearFord Explorer typicalSubaru Forester typicalDifferenceFord Explorer MPGSubaru Forester MPG
2026 $44,493 $34,481 Ford Explorer +$10,012 19–24 MPG 26–35 MPG
2025 $38,205 $31,480 Ford Explorer +$6,725 20–24 MPG 26–35 MPG
2024 $34,089 $28,968 Ford Explorer +$5,121 20–24 MPG 26–29 MPG
2023 $30,995 $27,340 Ford Explorer +$3,655 20–27 MPG 26–29 MPG
2022 $27,484 $24,401 Ford Explorer +$3,083 19–27 MPG 26–29 MPG
2021 $23,390 $22,243 Ford Explorer +$1,147 19–27 MPG 29 MPG
2020 $21,418 $21,000 Ford Explorer +$418 19–28 MPG 29 MPG
2019 $16,998 $18,966 Subaru Forester +$1,968 18–22 MPG 29 MPG
2018 $15,670 $16,398 Subaru Forester +$728 18–22 MPG 24–28 MPG
2017 $13,695 $14,883 Subaru Forester +$1,188 18–22 MPG 24–28 MPG
2016 $11,995 $12,495 Subaru Forester +$500 18–22 MPG 25–27 MPG
2015 $9,999 $10,988 Subaru Forester +$989 18–23 MPG 25–27 MPG
2014 $8,995 $9,528 Subaru Forester +$533 18–23 MPG 24–27 MPG
2013 $8,190 $8,894 Subaru Forester +$704 18–23 MPG 21–23 MPG
2012 $7,950 $7,995 Subaru Forester +$45 19–23 MPG 21–23 MPG
2011 $7,399 $7,195 Ford Explorer +$204 19–20 MPG 21–23 MPG
2010 $6,321 $6,619 Subaru Forester +$298 15–17 MPG 21–22 MPG
2009 $6,109 $6,495 Subaru Forester +$386 15–17 MPG 21–22 MPG
2008 $5,995 $5,359 Ford Explorer +$636 15–16 MPG 20–22 MPG
2007 $5,003 $4,995 Ford Explorer +$8 15–16 MPG 20–22 MPG
2006 $4,995 $4,998 Subaru Forester +$3 15–16 MPG 20–22 MPG
2005 $4,570 $4,995 Subaru Forester +$425 14–16 MPG 19–23 MPG
2004 $5,077 $4,999 Ford Explorer +$78 15–16 MPG 18–21 MPG
2003 $4,672 $5,195 Subaru Forester +$523 15–16 MPG 21 MPG
2002 $4,400 $4,499 Subaru Forester +$99 14–17 MPG · 39 MPGe 21 MPG

Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Forester is cheaper: it typically lists for $31,480 versus $38,205 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, October 2026).

Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?

The Subaru Forester: its typical rated version returns 23 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Ford Explorer (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).

Which is safer — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?

By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford Explorer averages 4.9 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.8 for the Subaru Forester. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.

Which is more reliable — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?

NHTSA lists an average of 10.7 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 4.6 for the Subaru Forester — an edge for the Subaru Forester. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.

Which trims should I actually compare?

Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford Explorer XLT typically lists for $30,599 vs $28,083 for a Subaru Forester BASE PLUS; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($30,599, 33.5% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM ($30,501, 27.3% of Subaru Forester listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($46,000) faces the TOURING ($35,657). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.

About this data: prices and availability are national aggregates of live VehiSales inventory (October 2026), refreshed daily. Fuel economy: U.S. EPA/DOE (fueleconomy.gov). Safety & recalls: NHTSA. How to cite: “VehiSales Research, Ford Explorer vs Subaru Forester” with a link to https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/explorer/vs/subaru/forester.

Dig deeper

Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Subaru Forester — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Subaru Forester prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Subaru Forester MPG by year

See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.

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